Will eradicate drugs problem from Punjab: Rahul Gandhi

Mohali (Punjab), (IANS) Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asserted that his party will eradicate the drugs problem in months if it comes to power in Punjab.

“When Congress party would form the government in state, you will see that we will take action against the people responsible for drug abuse. We will eradicate it and you will see the difference in months,” Gandhi said.

The Congress vice president was on a day’s visit to Punjab to meet and boost the morale of party workers. He addressed a gathering of more than 2,000 party workers at the farm house of a local Congress leader in Mohali.

Many sitting Congress MLAs, MPs, block presidents were also part of the gathering.

The Congress leader slammed the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government, saying it does not want to focus on the problem of drug abuse in the state and is not working effectively to root out the menace.

“The Akali Dal government does not want to even recognize this problem. They are not doing enough to tackle this menace,” he added.

He also said the Punjab government had mocked him in the past for raising the sensitive issue.

“Drug problem has always been a very serious issue in Punjab. I raised this issue several times earlier, but Akali Dal made fun of me. We want to give a new kind of government in Punjab, one that is sensitive to people,” he said.

“Punjab is the heart of the nation and nobody can insult it. Punjab gives life to the country. I have a special place for Punjab in my heart and all I want is to help the people of the state,” Gandhi added.

The Congress had faced defeat in the 2007 and 2012 Punjab assembly polls and is aiming to wrest power in 2017.